"Hey, Marco."
"What, Princess Xena?" I asked.
We're on a meadow surrounded by pretty flowers that would never match her beauty. Butterflies flew around us, like on cue, the birds chirped sweetly. I'm running to her, I don't know why but I have to catch up with her.
"Hey, Marco!" She said as she threw a pebble to me.
"Ouch! There's no need to do that." I said.
"Not exactly." She threw a bigger pebble at me.
"Hey! Not funny."
"Yeah, right said the unfunny man. Haha."
She morphed into a bald eagle. Then she soar into the open skies. I morphed into osprey and followed her. We were flying. We were free.
"Marco, wake up."
"Rachel?" I asked.
"No, it's Jake. Wake up."
"5 minutes more?"
"No! Get your sleepy butt out of my bed."
"Then get your bed out of my sleepy butt. Where are we going, anyway?" I asked.
I sat in his bed. He looks haggard like all of us would likely look. He has grown too wise for his age, if you would look closely, you can see an entire different person through his eyes. But its over now, the humans are free.
No more invasion.
No more mission.
No more bloodshed.
But still, can everything really go back the way it was before? I have changed, we all have changed after all of these series of events. I still have those nightmares that would make me doubt my abilities and send me up screaming my heart out. Sometimes, I would wake up drenched with sweat and shivering. And I know I'm not the only one of our group that have been experiencing this. We all do, we just don't want to talk about it because we might end up breaking. Life is either comedy or tragedy, I remember mom said that. Or at least I think mom said that and not the yeerk who controlled her before. So I guess I just have to smile and laugh through this. That's my role in the group, right? - the funny one.
"Marco? Are you listening or have you gone insane?"
"Oh please. When have I not been insane?" I said while rolling my eyes...just like Rachel would do.
"You've been dreaming about her, haven't you?"
"No, I haven't."
"Yes, you had." Remember what I just said, he'd grown too wise.
"So, what now? You're a lie detector?"
"Not really. I just followed my instincts." Like he did back then.
I didn't answered him. I smell checked one of my shirt and worn it.
"We're going to her funeral. Are you really just going to wear that?"
That hit the spot. Her funeral.
I can't show that I'm so affected. I smiled instead.
"Yep." I said.
"Really, a spongebob t-shirt?"
"Yes, it's an original one."
He rolled his eyes and smirked.
"She gave that to you." Jake said.
"I think so."
"You must be pretty special, that's her favorite cartoon character."
"Oh."
"Meet us at the funeral. Be quick."
I came as fast as I can...without morphing. I saw them- Jake who's trying to comfort Cassie. Cassie, who is crying and sobbing. Tobias, who had morphed to his human form and he just looked at her, he's not moving, he's chocking back sobs.
I went away. I ran away. Jake followed me but I didn't stop. I ran faster.
"MARCO! What are you doing?" He said as I stopped running. I got tired, okay?
"I'm running away, like duh."
"Why?"
I looked at the river. I saw my reflection, I guess Jake was not the only who have changed, I did too.
"You love her." Jake said
"No, I don't...I don't know.
"Yes, you do. She's dead, accept it."
"She's not dead."
"Marco she's de-"
"She's still out there waiting to be saved."
"Mar-"
I morphed into osprey and flew. He didn't followed me. Good. No matter what they say, I won't believe.
In my memories, she's with me.
In my heart, I know she's still alive.
And in time, I will find you.
This, I promise.